Today's Opinions

Americans take religious liberty for granted. Unfortunately, this most fundamental freedom is not protected in many countries around the world.
Religious liberty is the proverbial canary in the mine. If a state won’t respect this most basic freedom of conscience, it isn’t likely to respect people’s lives and dignity in any context.
There is more than enough bad news to fill the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom’s latest annual report. Worst of all were the conditions in 13 “countries of particular concern.”

For 10 years, it was my honor to represent constituents of my legislative district in the New Mexico Legislature. Through those years, we encountered numerous heated debates in the course of a normal day. Not once did any of us from either political party concern ourselves with the possibility of a lunatic firing actual bullets at us.

I was surprised and saddened by the action taken by the county council on Dec. 15 when they decided to fire County Administrator Tony Mortillaro. As reported in the Los Alamos Monitor, the investigative report showed there was no illegal, unethical or immoral behavior on Tony’s part. Yet, this lame duck council chose to take this drastic action.
Tony has been an administrator for Los Alamos County for more than six years; he has served as county administrator for one and a half years. He is a qualified, competent, experienced administrator.

I was bit by a “white shepherd-type” dog while running in the canyon behind Walnut Park around 8:30 a.m. Saturday.
The dog’s owner was a blonde woman who had with her three to four other dogs — all off leash. She attempted to get their attention with a dog whistle, but was unsuccessful. The dog tore my running pants, went through my compression sock and broke my skin. I was in such shock that I didn’t think to get her name and/or address.

Over the course of my career in city management, I have observed many changes in how municipal government has improved and evolved.
Also during this time in public service, I have faced many challenges and feel that in all aspects I was able to contribute toward making a positive difference in the outcomes of those challenges faced by the communities that I served.

Now that the judge has approved the settlement we reached with the county council halting an election on the question posed in a petition regarding the location of the new municipal building, we feel an obligation to explain our position to Los Alamos.

A tsunami is an onslaught of waves generated in any large body of water by an earthquake, volcanic eruption, or some other cataclysmic disturbance. Drop a large enough object into the Atlantic Ocean and you would generate a tsunami (maybe we could toss Washington D.C. in just to test this out?).

Mortillaro breaks silence
Former County Administrator Tony Mortillaro has written a letter to the community. Look for it on Sunday’s opinion page in the Los Alamos Monitor.

Settlement approved
Word is that Judge Barbara Vigil signed the order Monday approving the settlement that local attorneys Christine and George Chandler reached with the county council halting an election on the question posed in a petition regarding the location of the new municipal building.